Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. He had every reason to be mad, resentful, depressed, frustrated, and rebellious. But, he put his complete trust in God; and, He allowed God to give him some life-classes that would prepare him to rule second in command to Pharaoh in Egypt. Let Jesus show you how trust and resistance are supposed to work.

Gen 39:1-2 (NIV) Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. If you have a good attitude and trust God no matter what happens to you, God will be with you and prosper you. Joseph had a situation that could have caused him to hate God. How could a loving God do this to him?

Gen 39:3-5 (NIV) When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.

If you, like Joseph, know that God has wonderful plans for you, then you will resist the temptation to develop bad attitudes. You may have as many reasons as Joseph for misunderstanding, being convinced that you are being mistreated, and feeling like God has abandoned you. But, if you trust God and resist your body, the world, and the devil, wonderful opportunities will come your way through the God you trust. It may not be easy to resist the flood of pain, confusion, and temptations of the devil; but, it will be worth it.

Gen 39:6-9 (NIV) So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” BUT HE REFUSED. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”

Do you see the difference between Joseph and Simon the sorcerer? Joseph had a clean heart; Simon needed to: Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin. Joseph had to repent and resist all the things his body, the world, and the devil were TRYING TO bringing into his mind and heart. He had to allow God to fill his mind and heart with trust. It’s not easy trusting when you don’t know what is going on.

Gen 39:10 (NIV) And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. You can never let your guard down, your body, the world, and Satan are constantly at work. That doesn’t mean you spend all your time watching out for an attack. That means you put a lot of time into devotions, prayer, praise, listening to good Christian music, reading good Christian books, reading your Bible, going to church, and allowing God to fill you with His great power.

Gen 39:11-12 (NIV) One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. It is important what you do with your body. Joseph not only refused to go to bed with her he refused to even be with her. Don’t put yourself in bad places and just try to mentally resist them. Resist by staying away from questionable situations.

Gen 39:13-15 (NIV) When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” Don’t expect your resistance to always produce victory. Your body, the world, and the devil won’t like you trying to live the victorious Christian life. They will retaliate.

Gen 39:16-19 (NIV) She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. Things may be nice where you are now; you may be trusting and resisting and being blessed by God. But, God may be ready to graduate you and put you in your next life-class.

Gen 39:20-21 (NIV) Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. Joseph could have stopped believing in trusting and resisting. He could have decided that it didn’t pay off. But, God needed Joseph in prison where he could get him before Pharoah. It may be hard to see the benefits of trusting and resisting; but, if you keep doing them, you will EVENTUALLY end up in the awesome plan for your life.